Remedial Potions
by DolbyDigital
Summary: Snape began the lesson without warning, entering the boy's mind easier than he expected, and delving deeper than he had intended.


**A/N -** This is written for Emmeline Bondurant. I'm so sorry it's late! I didn't see you on the list!

I've never written Draco/Harry before, despite having shipped them for years (though it's more implied than anything), so I apologise for any characterisation issues. If you see something that's obviously wrong, please let me know so that I can fix it.

* * *

Snape glared at the clock, watching the second hand tick by. Potter was late again.

The door burst open five minutes after their scheduled meeting time, and the boy rushes into the room, half-hearted apologies spilling from his lips. Snape ignores him and begins the lesson without warning.

Entering the boy's mind was easier than he had expected - clearly he'd learnt nothing from their past lessons - and he found himself in far deeper than he had intended. He caught flashes of Potter's memories - riding the Hogwarts Express, flying a broom, laughing with friends - but he could at least feel the boy trying to resist him. There was something specific he was trying to hide, though, and the more Potter tried not to think about it the more he thought about it.

The thoughts gained clarity with each passing second, focussing on specific scenes from the boys recent past. Scenes that he apparently wanted hidden. Despite not really wanting to know, Severus found himself being drawn towards these memories as he became an unwilling observer to past events.

* * *

 _"_ _What took you so long?" Draco's petulant scowl could be heard in his voice, though Severus couldn't see him in the memory yet._

 _"_ _I had another… remedial potions class," Potter muttered as he turned a corner and Draco came into view._

 _"_ _We both know that's not what you're doing," Draco snapped. Severus could feel his anger rising;_ was there anyone the boy hadn't told? _Malfoy was leaning against the stone wall, pose casual, and he didn't bother straightening when Potter came into his line of sight._

 _"_ _Well you're not supposed to. I didn't tell you," Potter spoke as though the simple fact that he hadn't intended for Draco to find out would be enough to redeem him._

 _"_ _No, you only told Granger and Weasley, and who knows who else." The irritation was clear in Malfoy's voice._

 _"_ _Only them."_ The boy wasn't supposed to tell anyone, and for good reason, _Severus groused internally. He hadn't wanted to teach Potter these lessons, but at least he had the good sense to know they were a necessity._

 _"_ _Yeah, that makes it better," Draco muttered._

 _"_ _Look, I didn't come here to argue with you. If that's all that's going to happen, then I'm leaving."_ And why exactly had the two boys decided to meet? _Severus wondered, dreading the possible inclinations of this._

 _"_ _Well then go," Draco snapped, pushing himself away from the wall and turning his back on Potter in a childish gesture._

 _"_ _Draco-"_

 _"_ _No! You clearly don't want to talk to me, so why bother with-"_

The memory faded out, Draco's words quietening into nothing as the scene changed. As the new scenario became clearer, it became obvious that it was from an older memory.

 _"_ _Malfoy? What are you doing here?" the youngest Weasley boy snapped, glaring at Draco as though is very existence were an offence._

 _"_ _I don't need to inform you of my whereabouts, Weasley," Draco snarled, with an incredibly similar expression._

 _"_ _Look, can't we-" Potter made an attempt to intervene, but was cut off by Granger._

 _"_ _Why don't we go somewhere else?" she said, in an attempt to pacify all those involved._

 _"_ _Why should we leave?" the Weasley boy responded petulantly._

 _Granger ignored him and forcibly steered him back in the direction they had come from. Potter stayed behind, looking at Draco almost apologetically._

 _"_ _Get lost, Potter," Draco snapped, his expression looked almost hurt._

 _Potter looked as though he were about to say something, but instead he turned around and left without another word._

Severus got one last look at the corridor before the memory changed yet again, though this time the transaction was faster, and the memory appeared to be the most recent. It might have been a continuation of the first, though if not then it would have happened very soon afterwards.

 _"_ _Draco, I'm-"_

 _"_ _Save it, Potter."_

 _"_ _No, really. I am. I'll make it up to you, I promise."_

 _"_ _You shouldn't make promised you aren't able to keep."_

 _"_ _I promise," Potter repeated. Draco seemed to soften at that, visibly relaxing._

 _"_ _Yeah, okay," he muttered. "But it better be good."_

 _"_ _It will. I'll see you tomorrow?"_

 _"_ _Yeah." Draco stepped forward, an odd little smile on his face - an expression that Severus had never seen on the boy before. Draco continued walking slowly towards Potter, and Severus knew he really did not want to see this._

Potter seemed to have the same idea, as he somehow gained the willpower and emotional control to forcibly remove Severus from his mind, sending Snape stumbling backwards across the room.

Both were breathing heavily, staring at each other with expressions conveying their shock. Severus' mind was still reeling with the force of the boy's _push_ , leaving him feeling disoriented and out of balance. Potter was the first to recover; he didn't say anything, simply turned and left the room letting the door bang shut loudly behind him.

* * *

Severus still wasn't sure what he had seen, even several days later. Of course, he had an idea - how could he not? - but he really hoped he was wrong. Surely Draco wouldn't- But how well did he really know the boy? And this wasn't likely something Draco would tell him voluntarily. Not until it became an issue.

No, it would be better to keep this to himself; to act as though he knew nothing of it. There was always the possibility that he was wrong, after all.


End file.
